Dangerous Occupations – Violent Crime in the Workplace Statistics

Dangerous Occupations. About two million people in the U.S. are victims of violent crime in the workplace every year, according to a US Department of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Study was taken between 1992-1996. The occupations examined included those that prior studies have deemed to be more vulnerable to criminal victimization.

Most Dangerous Occupations

The rate of violence per 1,000 workers during the five-year period studied was as follows:

Occupation

Rate

Victims

Law Enforcement Officers

306

234,000

Prison or Jail Corrections Officers

218

58,300

Taxi Drivers

184

16,100

Private Security Guards

117

71,100

Bartenders

91

26,400

Mental Health Professionals

80

50,300

Gas Station Attendants

79

15,500

Convenience or Liquor Store Clerks

68

61,500

Mental Health Custodial Workers

63

8,700

Junior High/Middle School Teachers

57

47,300

Bus Drivers

45

17,200

Special Education Teachers

41

9,000

High School Teachers

29

33,300

Elementary School Teachers

16

35,400

College or University Instructors

3

6,600

Dangerous Occupations: Workplace Homicide

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, homicide was the second leading cause of death in the workplace following highway fatalities. Workplace murders accounted for 1 of every 6 fatal occupational injuries. Firearms were used to commit more than 80% of all workplace homicides. By far, white males between the ages of 25 and 44 were the victims of workplace homicides occurring as a result of an armed robbery in a late-night retail setting.

During the same period, an average of 330,000 retail employees was victimized annually. Late-night retail establishments by far had the highest rate of violence. Of the 107,854 annual business robberies, 67,144 occurred in commercial houses, 28,090 in convenience stores, and 12,621 in gas stations. More than one offender (43%) committed commercial robberies in contrast with other forms of workplace violence that only involved one offender (84.7%).

Strangers committed the majority of the workplace violence (59.6%) and most victims were men (66%). Most of the violent offenders were male (82.9%), white (58.4%), and over 21 years of age (76.4%).

Public law enforcement and private security guards experienced the most workplace assaults each year with an estimate of 327,000 simple assaults and 100,000 aggravated assaults.